May 8 – I Must Know The Enemy And His Tactics

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.” – 1 Peter 5:8-9

I must know how the enemy operates. I have a comprehensive war manual in the Bible. This war manual will supply every tool and piece of information I need for battle against this enemy, Satan himself. I need to know his methods. I must know his tactics so when I am under attack, I can effectively fight him off.

Satan uses whatever means possible to tempt me in the life:

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” – 1 John 2:16

Satan is the ruler of the world. If I will deal with the flesh the way God wants me to deal with it, the devil will have no foothold on me; and the world will have no attraction to me.

The flesh entangles and hinders me from being a good soldier for Jesus Christ. In turn, I (in the flesh), like a coward, cringe in fear and want to run from battle. But Paul has good encouragement for me as I read his words to Timothy:

“Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.” – 2 Tim 2:3-4

I am a chosen soldier; but I cannot fight the good fight if I am being overcome with sin in this life. So, how can I conquer that sin in my life that interferes with my ability to fight the good fight? The key is in the war manual.

“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.” – Gal 6:14

Christ on the cross is the key to overcoming my cowardice. Knowing that the battle has been won at the cross causes me to depend upon the only one who has utterly defeated the enemy. When I fully understand that I cannot win this alone, I must draw all of my strength, my nourishment, my supplies, my weapons, and my line of communication from Him. He is THE MIGHTY WARRIOR in me. Praise be to God!